Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CARY, NC – Monmouth University Baseball capped a comeback from nine runs down with an Austin Denlinger walk-off home run before stellar pitching propelled the Hawks in the nightcap as MU swept a doubleheader from the University of Maine Friday at the USA Baseball Complex. The Blue and White captured the opener, 15-14 before using 16 strikeouts to win the second contest, 4-1.
 
Trailing 9-0, Phil Stahl ignited a comeback with an RBI single in the fifth. Casey Caufield drove in two with a triple, and Ben Winstead capped the inning with a two-run homer, his third in three games to cut it to 9-5. MU erupted for six more in the seventh, including an infield hit to score a run from Will Trochiano. Stahl came home on a wild pitch to make it 9-8 before Winstead dropped a two-run double into left to make it 10-9 MU. Brady Mutz would add a two-run home run as insurance in the eighth, but a five-run Maine ninth gave them a 14-13 lead. With two down, Denlinger launched the game-winner over the wall in left center.
 
Joey Ventresca struck out seven in four scoreless, and Mason Miller followed that with four near perfect innings, fanning seven to allow the offense to get going. Stahl singled home the first run in the seventh, and Winstead followed with a two-RBI triple to make it 3-0 Monmouth. Caufield lifted a sac fly to extend it to 4-0, and Ryan Bearse gave up a run in the ninth but no more to lock down the doubleheader sweep.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES

"Two good team wins today in very different fashion. In the first game, a lot of timely hits, good at bats and a balanced attack in the back end of the game. The team got some energy and momentum when we cut the deficit to 9-5. Dante gave us a great outing in relief, which enabled us to get back in the game. The entire team showed a lot of character late in the game. Back and forth at the end and a never give in attitude; many big hits and at-bats.  Austin Denlinger has shown that he wants to be in that moment and did he deliver." – Head Coach Dean Ehehalt on Game One
 
"Game 2 was a bit different as our pitching led the way. Ventresca, Miller and Bearse pieced together an outstanding nine innings. Joey gave us a quality start, Mason held serve and did so in a dominant style and Bearse closed it out. Our lineup created opportunities in the seventh and our approach and execution was excellent. Guys were able to scratch and claw their way on base and Phil was able to make some adjustments and drove in the first run. Winstead continues to swing the bat well, Casey, Denlinger and Mutz had good nights as well. Looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow." – Ehehalt on Game Two
Game One
-Ben Winstead homered for the third time in three games.
-Austin Denlinger's walk-off home run was MU's first walk off since last year in Cary, NC when Jake Catalano's single walked off LIU.
-It marked the first walk-off home run for Monmouth since Alex Barker's grand slam to down Siena in the 2021 MAAC Tournament opening round.
-Denlinger had multiple hits for the fourth straight game to open his career at MU.
-Phil Stahl has hit in every game and driven in a run in three of the four.
-Jake Fraher got the final two outs of the ninth to earn his first career win
 
Game Two
-Eric Sabato posted his first career multi-hit game as a Hawk.
-Winstead's triple marked the fourth straight game with an extra base hit
-Mason Miller struck out a career-high seven in four hitless innings
-Miller earned his first win since 2/20/22, also in Cary over LIU
-Stahl drove in a run for the fourth straight game
-Ventresca struck out a career-best seven in his second career start
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
 
Game One
-Each team had 13 hits
-Monmouth scored 13 unanswered runs in the game
-Dante Ciaramella threw 5.1 innings out of the pen, allowing three runs
-Jake Fraher got the final two outs of the ninth to earn the win
-Four different Hawks had multi-hit games
 
Game Two
-MU outhit Maine 8-4
-Maine made three errors to MU's two
-Ventresca went four innings, allowing no runs on three hits in his second start
-Miller fanned seven in four hitless innings to collect the win
 
UP NEXT
-Monmouth takes on Northern Illinois at 1:00 p.m. Saturday.